Over the Cap projects Falcons to receive 0 2020 compensatory picks

Falcons will know in the next few months if they land any compensatory draft picks. The picks, ranging from the end of the third round to the end of the seventh round, are awarded to teams that lose major players in free agency and fail to sign big name replacements.

The system rewards teams that develop players, and their replacements, through the draft. If a team loses a top player, but signs another just as expensive, those cancel out. Teams like the New England Patriots clean up with comp picks nearly every year. Just this year they lost defensive end Trey Flowers and offensive tackle Trent Brown in free agency, and predictably, did not sign anyone expensive.

While the compensatory pick math is not made public, Over the Cap put together projections based on what they believe the formula to be. While the contracts are the biggest factor, it is believed other things like playing time make an impact.

How did the Falcons do? Bad.

The good news is the Falcons locked up players like Grady Jarrett, who would otherwise have netted the Falcons a high compensatory pick. The bad news is they kept Vic Beasley, who probably would have gotten a decent deal, and Tevin Coleman’s down 2018 limited his deal in free agency.

Even if Coleman registered high enough for a comp pick, it was certainly canceled out by the foolish deals signed for James Carpenter and Jamon Brown. The result: Zero projected comp picks for 2020.

The Falcons still have an extra 2nd round pick for trading Mohamed Sanu, but that will be the only bonus they have heading into the 2020 draft.